Lost Episode: 9/12/2007
Interviewed By: @The-Great-One
POST COMMENTARY
This is probably the only interview I am still pretty proud of. I was just starting to hit my groove. I didn't like it back then when I deleted these episodes. Looking back on it now, I think it held up pretty well. It does resemble the interviews done on the Newgrounds Mag back in the day though. Which was what I was going for, and I finally nailed it. If you want to read a more proper interview, I interviewed MaestroRage as part of collab interview, Interview with The Symphony of Specters. That is a better interview than the one here.
Well here it is. Right after Castle Crashers closing and the winners announced I have interviewed one of the winners. This person has contributed over 60 songs here on Newgrounds under three different accounts. One person on Newgrounds who has a gift and has given it to us all who have heard his music. The one and only MaestroRage.
Maestro's first account ever created was if I recall correctly was "SoulStrings" but he changed the username to MaestroSegments. Songs are still submitted under that username so keep an eye out for those, and also if I'm not mistaken songs are also still submitted under Maestro's second account MaestroSorrow. So check out all three and look at all of the Maestro's Music.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration for your music?
A: There's really no certain way to answer this to be honest. A majority of my inspiration comes from movies and scenes I act out in my head. I used to be an avid writer and poet, writing stories has always been a driving force for me, and so I act out these stories in my head, and a soundtrack slowly emerges. As I liked fantasy/sci-fi setting stories, my songs follow suit in that regard.
Q: How does it feel being part of the Castle Crashers winners list with your song _-={Rage of the Champions}=-_?
A: Quite good! I was actually not even expecting to place! When I heard that WinterWind-NS, Arbiter, DavidOrr, MusicalRocky were all competing, I simply could not refuse the challenge! Knowing that I was up against the most powerful classical composers NG had to offer I couldn't sleep for literally a week, and spent a LOT of time in front of the computer experimenting, testing, building, scrapping. DavidOrr and I talked from time to time, and he helped. But nothing helped me more then when he showed me a demo of his work. I told him RIGHT there and then.
"David, you're going to win!"
He didn't believe me, but I knew. Knowing that something so foreboding was out to get me, it sent me into an even crazier frenzy. At that point I didn't even want to win, I just wanted to test my mettle against these people. To be fourth in this competition is not something I take lightly. Oddly Rage of the Champions was the one I was so sure wouldn't win.
Q: With over 60 songs on at least three different Newgrounds Accounts you still haven't shown your Flash potential yet. Do you have any upcoming plans for making a flash?
A: I did, and I do. I simply do not have the patience to improve my art. I'm fairly decent with the pencil, but like most flash authors, the mouse is no representative of the hand. If I do start flash seriously, it would not be a cartoon, but gadgets. Juke Boxes, flash effects and the like.
Q: The return of MilkMan-Dan to the Newgrounds Audio Portal, do you and him plan on making any more collaborations together?
A: MilkMan-Dan is a very close friend to me. We do not talk as often as we used to, but he will always be a friend. He's return is not real in my opinion. He made a return song, and then left after the redesign. He did not find it to his liking, and closed shop. That is, as far as I know anyways. Our styles have also developed in very different directions, a collab looks less likely to be successful with every passing month. I can only hope.
Q: You're mostly known for submitting Classical music to the Newgrounds Audio Portal...are there any other genres you've been experimenting with?
A: Yes, in fact I just finished my newest experiment He's a Pirate Dance Remix. Though technically thats a classical remix with electronic elements. My next projects will involve collabing with DarKSidE555 in extending and enhancing "Rage of the Champions", give it a much crueler, darker feel with much more ruthless guitar action. After that, I don't rightly know.
Q: Other than Newgrounds what is your basic day to day life like?
A: Varies, somedays i'll sit outside, and watch the day wash away while thinking. Other days i'll do math all day, and some days the musical muses invade my personal space and I work on tunes all day. I've also recently started practicing the piano. It's getting embarassing to say "I don't play any instruments :P"
Q: If people go through the reviews of your music they can read the stories that the reviewers paint in their minds. Going back through those reviews are there any in particular that have caught your eye?
A: So many to pick from now... I personally take every story painted for me and take it in, and live that life, that story. There were some that really made me stop and think, though to be honest I do not remember where they were, and by whom. I do remember the story, and the sentiments. To try and filter out which ones of these made me really think would be a week long adventure. I do remember the most recent, written by one Link1243, on Remember Us. His story really moved me, and I have plans to make a piece based around it.
Q: What other Newgrounds Users here do you have connections with?
A: Real life connections? Sadly none. But if you mean by whom I talk to regularly, and am friends with. Well, just bounce into the forum. At least 75% of the people who post there are people I know, or are familiar with.
Q: After competiting in the June's Monthly Audio Contest # 7. Are you willing to try and get your music branched out even further?
A: Every contest, i'm there, every day I try to think of something new. Some styles need to be studied before attempting them... like... well all of them :/. My dance experiment was a failure in terms of being really dance, but it is an important step. I wonder how badly i'll miss the mark on some Industrial :D!
Q: What do you have planned for Newgrounds in the near future?
A: It's strange, I keep literally all my music exclusive to Newgrounds. I mean, I have tried signing up for other music sites, uploaded a song here and there, but Newgrounds is the only place where certainly you can trace my history and my progress. I don't rightly know if I will ever really move out of here. The day I stop making tracks, I will be certain to let everybody know, in my own way of course. And that will be something unique, let me tell you ;).
POST COMMENTARY
I think part of the reason I didn't like this one was because it didn't feel authentic. When I changed over to what is now the official account, I wanted my own style. Which I don't think I fully got until I interviewed Sexual-Lobster for the first time. This is the last lost episode though. It was a delightful high note to end on.
The Interviewer is a part of Dohn's Desk Productions
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